Zoolery.

Jane Aldridge and her lovely beetle necklace

So I have to admit, it wasn't originally my idea.  It started with a trip to Sea Of Shoes, the blog by Karl Lagerfeld's talented, chic, and - well, let's face it, quite privileged daughter. Animal jewlery.  She's obsessed with it. Lions, octupusses, (octopii?), and beetles. If it wasn't for Jane Aldridge, I would have missed the double elephant snakeskin Alexis Kirk belt I bought at Salvation Army for seventy cents. (Seventy CENTS!!) The belt was a bit gaudy for me, so I sold it for $150.00 (DOLLARS!) and bought a bunch of cheaper less expensive animal jewelry items on eBay and etsy.


Seller beautybrass makes lovely brass rings out of vintage molds, they're cheap cheap cheap not expensive and total conversation starters.  I bought their giraffe ring for $14 and not only does it spark conversation, it also functions as a handy brass knuckle should any creep try some dirty business on you :)

BeautyBrass's "Tiger Ring", though it looks a bit like a Squirrel, eh?

Etsy seller ChinaCherie has a gorgeous Azlan-esque lion necklace as well as a few beetle necklaces, too.  I love Etsy for pioneering the handmade movement.. I always seem to find the most beautiful things there.

Copper Lion Necklace, $16, etsy.com

"You Suck" mosquito necklace, $55 at etsy.com

The trick with pulling off a huge statement animal jewelry piece is...the weirder the animal, the larger you can go.  Dogs, cats, and anything too cutesy is out of the question.  Rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes... those are the pieces that scream "Don't mess with me, I know fashion."

"I'm Neat!!" Chicken of the City necklace, $60 at etsy.com

Etsy seller ballandchain not only make a super adorable kitchenaid mixer necklace, but they do a wonderful rat design as well. It also stands to reason that wearing an unusual piece of jewelry will help you find the right kind of boy /  girl / new friend. Fashion should be fun, right, nobody should take it too seriously, and wearing a necklace with a big huge rat on it is definitely going to send the message to people that you're neat.

Wolfie Belt Buckle, $19.98 on eBay

Then again, there's a right way and a wrong way to do things.  This wolf belt buckle is just teetering on being a bit too Southwestish / Cowboy / Turqoise and Tassel.  If you're going to go for accessories this Western, you have to juxtapose with something v.v. chic.  I say this, paired with a floppy hat and a pretty summer romper and some simple sandals would be the perfect end of summer date outfit. Plus, I'm pretty sure you could open a beer with this belt buckle, which is sure to impress any dude/ette.

And then, a little jewlery porn: David Webb.  Kenneth Jay Lane only wishes he was like David Webb, the New York designer renowned for creating luxury jewelry with enamel and diamonds in often unique animal shapes. His zebra bracelet is just so lovely, munchie, and beautifully designed. Jewlery like this is out of reach for most of us American women, but there's no need to fret: compare and contrast:

Enamel Striped Horsey Thing, Eleventy-Zillion Dollars at David Webb

Enamel Striped Horsey Thing, $5 straight from Beijing on eBay

Essentially, you could buy 4,000 of these blue zebra bracelets for the price of one David Webb bracelet. That's a pretty significant savings, and also a great example of why China's economy is booming and we're in the toilet.

Whatever animal jewlery you  pick, be sure to make it your own.

Pick Me, Pick Me! Rhino Pendant, $17 at etsy